W hen my senior prom rolled around, I found myself in the happy position of dating a boy from a neighboring town; we invited each other to our proms, which were on consecutive nights.

My best mate would complain that when she met a man who liked the same music, books or films as her, she always thought she had made a new friend - only to discover he wanted to ask her out.

Instead, at Harrow School, founded in 1572, graduating boys have a black-tie 'Leavers Feast' with their parents in the school dining hall.